E! says buh-bye to Chelsea Handler four months early

Kristyn Burtt is an IAWTV award-winning host and entertainment reporter. She currently hosts the recap shows for "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" on AfterBuzz TV and for "True Blood" on GeekNation.

The two are parting ways

Chelsea Handler wanted to leave E! in December. E! decided to end her show in August. Find out about Chelsea Lately's series finale.

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Viewers already knew Chelsea Handler was ending her show when her contract was up in December, but E! decided to get the last word in. On Wednesday, the cable network announced that the final episode of the late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately, will air on Aug. 26.

There will be a month-long "celebration" of memorable episodes and the entertainment network will give her a live one-hour sendoff on the final evening.

In a statement, Handler shared, "I myself am more surprised than anyone that I was able to hold down a job for seven years, and it was a fantastic seven years. I will always look back at my time on E! as most people look back at their time in college. I'm glad I went.â"

Even though she was glad she had the opportunity to host her own show, Handler told Howard Stern in March that E! was "a sad, sad place to live." Her agent Irving Azoff also did an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, bragging about her future opportunities.

However, the network had nice things to say despite the comedian's recent grumblings about her employers.

"We are very proud of Chelsea Lately's long-running success and the unique space that the series carved out in late-night television," said E! president Suzanne Kolb. "Chelsea brought a distinct voice to late night with her acerbic wit and fearless commentary and we look forward to providing fans with a memorable send-off that lives up to that tradition. Most of all, we are grateful to the Chelsea Lately team for making this show so special for seven years."